Yamaha has developed a compass that's just 2mm across, small enough to fit into even the smallest mobile device. It's designed to work in concert with a GPS system, giving users a choice of keeping the map oriented north or pointed in the direction they're heading. It measures 2mm square and is just 1mm thick. To give you an idea of how small it is, each one of those markers on the graphic above is .5mm.

Samples of the chip will start to ship in October, so that means it'll be a few months after that when we'll start seeing new capabilities cropping up in handheld GPS systems and mobile phones. – Charlie White